Another No Go :(

I had been preparing for the IPA DE State Championships next weekend, March 13th. Of course, as per usual, something always happens to me that prevents me from making it to the platform. No change in that status quo -
This time the meet was cancelled due to lack of entries. Woe is me, I feel I was well prepared. My bench and deadlift were on. My squat has been up and down, but I would have at least been able to do one. My legs are starting to give me a bit of problem again, but I think I can nip it by going back to an every other week squatting regimen.
I went in on bench day and did my planned opener, 285. Went up smooth and quick. Decided on 305 for a second - I have pushed 305 legitamately several times before, but I must say, this one was the best I have ever done. Smooth and quick. That was it. What the third attempt will be remains to be decided on meet day (whenever THAT shall happen again! ).

Since almost everyone else in the world including my training partner Rob went out to the Arnold Classic this weekend, I travelled up to IronSport Gym to train deadlifts with my good friend Steve Pulcinella. I knew my dead would be decent, having pulled a good 370 x 8 a few weeks back. It is hard for me to jump out of the car after driving for 2 hours and feel like training at all, much less pulling, but it went much better than I expected. First you have the awesome atmosphere of a real hardcore gym, an ATHLETE'S gym. Then there was a small group of guys on another platform doing deadlifts as well. (yes - several real lifting platforms!) When I go back and look at these videos I can see and still feel my sluggishness, but they were good and I still had "a little left in the tank"....
Steve filmed these :
first a 405 x 4. I should have stopped at one or 2, but I was "caught in the moment" .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHvr38sbOzk

Then a 440 x 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LwinyIgBAs

I have been training recently at times off a 100 lb plate, and I think that is really helping my initial pull off of the floor putting more leg drive into it, however I am also not putting my back into it now as quickly. If I can do that again a little faster - hah! Look out world!!! . Actually, I havent done all that much pulling in the past year, so I am happy to have the strength back up to where it was last year - FINALLY! That bodybuilding stuff just saps me!!!

Steve popped off a nice 675. He has a shoulder injury, hence the double overhand grip and straps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbunPzKrb3M

I will be "deloading" this week - was going to anyway because of the meet, but now just because I NEED to. I feel just this side of a train wreck. I have another meet in mind to prepare for in the not too distant future. I just need to keep from falling apart.